DATAROCK “Catcher In The Rye” EP— Album Review

“Catcher In The Rye” is an American classic in literature, and now Norwegian electro rock group DATAROCK are releasing their musical equivalent to J.D. Salinger’s coming of age story. Based on the single “Catcher In The Rye,” which is what they’re calling “the most extravagant single in history,” the five-track EP will be part of a designer toy with a USB stick, which will feature 10 tracks, 1500 photos taken at their shows in 33 countries, 20 music videos, and Never Say Die, a brand new hour-long concert film. Pretty insane and a novel ideal if you think about it. But what else would you expect from the guys who have done everything starting a dance riot at Coachella to playing with the kiddies at “Yo Gabba Gabba”…exactly!

So in terms of the five-track EP, which includes the hyped-up single and a remix, the other three tracks are pretty insanely awesome, making me wonder WTF, why wasn’t I was never introduced to these fools earlier. After reading their bio that explains how the band formed (short version: four drunk friends chillin’ on a rainy afternoon, drinking beer under a tree on top of a mountain in Bergen, Norway decided to form a band), I was even more intrigued by their music.

So this amazing single, “Cather In The Rye,” lives up to the hype. Intense funky beats come blasting at you right away, with a bit of disco-ish melodies mixed, before the crazy guitar riffs come into play. Oh, and the lyrics…genius! The result is a freaking bangin’ jam that makes Datarock the party rockers they are, making their declaration of being “the zenith of pop evolution” a statement of truth.

“Position of Love” has a slower tempo, but will nonetheless make you shake something. Its mixture of indie dance, new wave, pop, rock, punk and funk make it an instant repeat. The same goes with “Never Say Die,” but what’s better with this track is its lyrics—“Who the hell do you think you are, you don’t even match what I got by far…” are pretty blatant statements of edgy coolness you’ll be quoting on your Facebook posts.

So, yeah, I’m on DATAROCK’s musical nuts now, so to speak and now tracking down all the past shit I’ve been missing out on for the last decade…wish me luck! Oh, cop their EP and that cool ass flash drive, too!

The band are offering the song “Catcher in the Rye” as a free MP3, download it here: Catcher in the Rye

Words: Kristie Bertucci